KNOXVILLE — The National Defense Business Institute (NDBI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has completed an independent assessment of the U.S. Navy’s plans to modernize the nation’s fleet of destroyer combat ships.

“The U.S. Navy’s Destroyer Acquisition Plan: Examining Options for Acquiring DDG-1000 and DDG-51 Destroyers to Meet Maritime Capability Requirements” provides a factual foundation for understanding the factors involved in the Navy’s recent decisions regarding its destroyer modernization plans. It also provides a comprehensive analytical baseline for future decisions on the best way to meet current and future sea power needs.

The NDBI team included researchers and authors from the Monitor Group; it set out to accomplish two objectives:

– Evaluate the destroyer modernization alternatives and compare the capabilities offered by each within given budget parameters.

– Understand the acquisition options being considered by the Navy and provide information on which is the most suitable for transition to the Future Surface Combatant (FSC).

The independent study, which was commissioned by the Raytheon Company, is posted on the National Defense Business Institute Web site (http://www.NDBI.utk.edu). Additionally, the study will provide data for the industry as it considers future business options supporting the Department of Defense national security requirements.

The NDBI is the first university-based institute focused specifically on helping the Department of Defense, other government agencies and the defense industry analyze and find innovative, practical solutions that help improve the results of their acquisition and business management programs. NDBI offers academic and research expertise through partnerships with the UT Knoxville’s College of Business Administration and its Center for Executive Education, the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.